More than 90 per cent of Bay burglaries unsolved

Hannah Richardson was devastated after her bike was stolen. Photo/ supplied

New data shows that more than 180 burglaries in New Zealand went unsolved each day in the first half of this year.

Resolution rates for the crime fell to just 8.2 per cent for the period from January 1 to June 30, according to data acquired under the Official Information Act.

The data showed that there was 36,133 burglaries in that time - with just 3216 solved.

In the Bay of Plenty, the resolution rate was just 9.6 per cent. In other areas, no burglaries were solved.

The new figures come after a steady increase in the crimes - and a decrease in the number solved - in the past two years.

After mounting political and public pressure, police changed their approach to dealing with burglaries in August.

The crimes were recatagorised to a higher priority, and a target of officers attending all household burglaries within 24-hours of being reported was introduced.

Police's Prevention Assistant Commissioner Bill Searle said: "Burglary is a serious crime and it's a priority for police, however police acknowledge that there will be times when other serious incidents - such as homicides and serious violence - have to take investigative priority."

A new recording system for burglaries was introduced on July 1, 2014 - meaning the total number of the crimes logged since then is 133,840.

In March, NZME's Hitting Home series revealed that 164 burglaries went unsolved each day in the year to December 31, 2015 - a resolution rate of just 9.3 per cent.

The numbers

When broken down further, the data showed that the police districts with the lowest rates were Northland and Auckland City with 6.9 per cent and 7.3 per cent respectively.

The Southern police district was the best performing with 13.4 per cent, followed by the Eastern region at 12.8 per cent.

Canterbury had a resolution rate of 7.7 per cent; Tasman of 8.3 per cent; Wellington 7.8 per cent; the Central region of 9.5 per cent; Waikato 9.1 per cent; Counties Manukau 8.7 per cent; Waitemata 8.5 per cent and Northland 6.9 per cent.

Data provided to NZME was broken down to police station level, which revealed more than 30 of the country's 300-plus stations solved none of the crimes.

Burglaries in New Zealand, January 1 to June 30, 2016

• 36,133 burglaries reported

• Only 3216 solved - a resolution rate of just 8.9 per cent

• That is more than 180 per day unsolved

• More than 30 of the country's 300-plus stations solved none of the crime

• In the whole of 2015, 164 of the crimes went unsolved each day

• There have been 133,840 burglaries reported to police in the two years since a new recording system was introduced on July 1, 2014.
Source: NZ Police

Mount Maunganui mum Michelle Richardson noticed her daughter's bike had been stolen from their carport a few days ago.

The bike, a 1999 Klein Attitude Race, was thought to be one of only two in New Zealand.

Hannah, 12, used the bike for the Aims Games this year and every week it was used to cycle down to the Mount for surf lifeguard training. Mrs Richardson got the bike after a insurance pay out 17 years ago after another bike was stolen in the UK.

"They are quite rare now but it is quite cool. I had it fixed and modified for Hannah to use in the Aims Games. You have to be a bike person to appreciate them."

Mrs Richardson said her daughter had left it in their carport behind a caravan.

"She had the lock on it, but hadn't put it through the wheels.

"She cried her eyes out and still feels really stink about it a few days later. She blames herself for not putting the lock on it."

She said it was not the first time things had gone missing from their Mount Maunganui property even with increased security measures.